Strategy 2023-2030

Our most important resources are our students and our employees. Today's students will be part of the knowledge-based workforce until 2075. Our employees – researchers, teachers, technical staff and administration personnel – are continuously laying the foundations for new insights and learning. The Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences creates new knowledge, solves social challenges and addresses the need for adaptation by providing research and research-based education. We want to be a driving force behind the essential transition towards a responsible use of resources and a more sustainable society.   

We collaborate across all subjects and disciplines with Norwegian industry, business and international research partners. Our knowledge will be openly available, actively disseminated and debated. By gaining a deeper insight and engaging in joint efforts, #RealfagUiB will strengthen our influence and importance in society. In particular, we will play a prominent role in basic research, education and innovations relating to the oceans, the climate, energy, ICT and sustainability.  

The faculty’s strategy is aimed at realising UiB's 2023-2030 Strategy entitled Knowledge That Shapes Society. This strategy contains our overall perspectives and goals, and it will be followed up in the individual strategies of our departments and centres. Furthermore, we will be drawing up joint action plans, policy documents and selected indicators, and our strategy will provide guidelines for our internal control work and budget priorities.  

We contribute to a sustainable development by top-quality scientific research  

The faculty will continue to develop strong academic communities that will drive science forwards and pave the way for solving society’s challenges by pursuing curiosity-driven ground-breaking research. At Nygårdshøyden South, this will take place in world-class facilities, with modern laboratories suitable for a wide range of theoretical and experimental research.   

The natural sciences discover and explore fundamental laws of nature and complex interrelationships. The development of new theories and algorithms is a prerequisite for supporting our increasingly digitalised society. Similarly, technological innovations relating to scientific instrumentation are a very important driver of knowledge development in the natural sciences.  

At the Faculty, we are developing new insights in and across all disciplines. Our knowledge is a driving force behind policies for the management of nature, the polar regions and the green shift. The oceans, climate and energy transition are therefore the main pillars of the Faculty's research initiatives, while ICT, computing and sustainability are common themes for all our departments and centres. Our researchers combine laboratory experiments and observations of natural systems with mathematical modelling and data analysis. Our strong fundamental research communities contribute towards finding solutions to regional, national and global challenges. 

Together, our researchers and students are creating new insights that are facilitating needed changes. Many of society's challenges require close collaboration across all disciplines, with other research institutions and with society and the business sector. By achieving a good balance between academic breadth and targeted initiatives, our disciplines contribute to solutions for the future. 

DURING THE STRATEGY PERIOD, WE WILL: 

• Support and develop our international top-level research communities  
• Strengthen and highlight cooperation across all disciplines, and with national and international research partners 
• Secure our research communities future-oriented research infrastructure and digital resources 
• Increase our national and international influence in relation to oceans, climate, energy transition, ICT and sustainability  
• Offer research training and serve as an attractive employer for young researchers  

We educate candidates to take on the challenges of a changing world 

The faculty educates highly qualified students who have the knowledge and skills required for meeting tomorrow's challenges. Research-based study programmes in fields such as oceans, climate, biodiversity, energy transition and ICT provide students with the insight and tools necessary for contributing towards sustainable development. 

Our students experience research-based teaching and learn to explore and challenge theory by conducting scientific experiments and using scientific methods. Students at Bachelor's, Master's and PhD level actively participate in the research process and use modern scientific equipment in laboratories and in the field. Our study programmes are strongly grounded in individual disciplines, our students are challenged with interdisciplinary perspectives and learn to cooperate and engage in entrepreneurship. Programming, visualisation, and data analysis are important skills in all our study programmes.  

Our teachers use research-based teaching methods and share their experiences of digital tools and work methods. Knowledge from our centres of excellence in education, bioCEED and iEarth, helps to promote the quality of education provided throughout the faculty. 

Nygårdshøyden South is a natural science hub where students can learn together and by meeting dedicated researchers, teachers and professionals from society and the business sector. The campus will invite exploration and collaboration on current, interdisciplinary, and global challenges, and provide students with a solid foundation for interesting and meaningful careers in a dynamic and international job market. 

DURING THE STRATEGY PERIOD, WE WILL: 

• Be an attractive place of study that offers future-oriented and research-active education  
• Develop student-active learning methods and make use of new ways of assessing knowledge and skills 
• Offer learning spaces and digital tools that promote student activity, involvement and interaction  
• Encourage student volunteerism, active participation and an inclusive learning environment 
• Lay the foundations for lifelong learning by providing students with sound basic academic competence and skills relevant to working life 
• Be a key actor when offering research-based lifelong learning in our focus areas 

Our natural science powerhouse creates future-oriented solutions  

The Faculty furthers our fundamental knowledge to create new insights into sustainable, smart, safe solutions for society's needs. In a dedicated new building, UiB invites strong research communities, international partners, local communities and the business sector to interact, exchange knowledge and engage in entrepreneurship.  We facilitate student-driven innovation through access to research infrastructure, workshops, knowledge clusters and innovation arenas. 

Academic curiosity, research and research-based education are the foundations we provide for boosting external cooperation. We will strengthen our partnership with society and the business sector in order to enhance innovation and provide work-relevant professional training for our students. We will be strong supporters of regional development and serve as a driving force behind cooperation within our primary pillars:  ocean, climate and the energy transition. We will also use our academic strengths to contribute towards new solutions within the fields of ICT, molecular life science and health. 

Our natural science powerhouse allows for interdisciplinary perspectives and facilitates research-driven innovation collaboration. The Faculty will support innovation and entrepreneurship among its employees and contribute towards the development of good organisational frameworks for our activities.  

In their capacity as employees, our students will contribute towards innovation, business and social development in a 50-year perspective. The foundations they create through academic specialisation and developing their abilities to engage in innovation and interdisciplinary interaction are a key part of our innovation contribution. 

DURING THE STRATEGY PERIOD, WE WILL: 

• Expand our regional cooperation with society and the business sector in order to solve major societal challenges and meet the needs of the green transition  
• Strengthen and highlight our contributions towards innovation  
• Provide students with sound innovation skills that make them particularly attractive on the labour market 
• Strengthen work-relevant practices in our study programmes 
• Build new spaces for ICT and innovation in Allégaten 64 

We share knowledge for a sustainable society   

The faculty is the community's knowledge bank within the fields of science and technology.  We consider it our responsibility to share our research with the wider community in engaging and inspiring way. We aim to be a source of knowledge in the public debate.   

Providing insight through the dissemination of knowledge is important, but also demanding. By being confident, accessible and clear in our communications, we will present knowledge – including knowledge that could be perceived as being controversial or conflictive. As an institution, we have a special responsibility to create safe guidelines so that our researchers and students can act freely as knowledge ambassadors.   

As the region's natural science powerhouse, we shall also promote City of Knowledge Bergen and Ocean City Bergen by engaging in cooperation that enhances our common interests. Our main pillars, i.e. oceans, the climate and energy transition, as well as general topics such as ICT, computing and sustainability, will be prominent in the profile of our Knowledge and Ocean City. We will contribute towards increased recruitment, business development and more highly skilled jobs in the region.   

Motivated, creative and knowledgeable students who want to help solve today's and future challenges are important for us as an institution and for all future employers. By engaging in long-term reputation building, #RealfagUiB will increase awareness of our academic communities, study programmes, career paths and all the great things that Bergen has to offer as an educational city.     

Nygårdshøyden South is the faculty’s most important strategic development project during the period. The project is also one of the keys to realising our "University Without Walls" concept, i.e. a university that is more open and closer to society, the business and innovation sectors. 

DURING THE STRATEGY PERIOD, WE WILL:    

• Engage in a dialogue with society, the business and innovation sectors 
• Have a clear voice in the public debate and contribute towards knowledge-based decisions  
• Be an active contributor to City of Knowledge Bergen and Ocean City Bergen   
• Develop the #RealfagUiB brand, placing particular emphasis on student recruitment 
• Create internal and public ownership of the Nygårdshøyden South development project     

We have an attractive and diverse working environment 

Our most important resources are our students and our employees. Our working environment and development are based on common goals, energy, team spirit and participation. We have high standards in relation to health and safety HSE, information security and research ethics. Employees and students at the faculty should have a sense of belong and pride in their community. Together, we will create a safe, stimulating working and learning environment, academic freedom, skills and career development and ambitious academic results.  

Recruitment and individual opportunities for further developing expertise are crucial for maintaining and strengthening competent employees in all job categories. Our organisation in general, and management in particular, will work continuously in order to obtain the best possible recruitment processes and the broadest possible recruitment base.  

As a faculty, we need to be aware of the opportunities and challenges that are inherent in being a diverse workplace. We will raise awareness of the barriers to gender equality among our employees and students and continue our targeted work designed to break these down. We will work systematically and with a long-term perspective in order to improve gender equality and representative diversity. 

Strong strategic and academic leadership is important and must be implemented in communication with employees and students. Management, support functions and infrastructure must be developed in line with changing needs and conditions. We will create future-oriented work and learning areas in line with our ambitions to be an attractive and well-regarded place to work and study. Our campus area will be developed alongside the changing world around us; "The University Without Walls" represents the interplay between education, research, the business sector and the city.  

DURING THE STRATEGY PERIOD, WE WILL:  

• Strengthen and develop the Faculty and UiB’s reputation as an attractive employer 
• Develop effective, high-quality recruitment processes  
• Raise awareness about diversity and gender equality among our employees and students and lower barriers to equal opportunities   
• Work systematically and purposefully with management tools, data security, research ethics and HSE  
• Develop future-oriented and climate-neutral working and learning spaces 

A natural science powerhouse on a modern campus

The University of Bergen (UiB) contributes to sustainable societal development by providing outstanding research, forward-looking education and dynamic knowledge transfer. Our researchers and students are jointly involved with businesses and public figures in creating new insights and sustainable solutions for the future. Nygårdshøyden South is realising our ambitions for interdisciplinary research, future-oriented education and relevant innovation. Modernisation of the Science Building and the Physics Building is a prerequisite for realising the university's ambitions for top international experimental science research, and a new building will be an ICT and Innovation hub that connects society, businesses, students and research communities. Read more on the projects webpages (in Norwegian).

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UiB